"Much Madness is Divinest Sense"

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Transcript of "Much Madness is Divinest Sense"

"Much Madness is divinest Sense"Figurative Language & Literary ElementsThere are quite a few examples of figurative language and literary elements found in 'Much Madness is divinest Sense'. There are examples of Alliteration, Personification, Imagery, Repetition, and Metaphors.Poetic ElementsPoetic elements help the reader understand what the author of the poem is trying to say by the format of the pom. Emily Dickinson uses Slant Rhyme, End Rhyme, and a Paradox in this poem.ExplanationIn this poem, Emily Dickinson was giving her thoughts about how society is run. In her eyes, the ones that society views as 'mad' are really the most sane, while the 'sane' are truly mad.AlliterationLine 1 - "Much Madness"This is an alliteration because of the repetitions of the M.MetaphorsLine 6 - " Assent - and you are sane - "This is a metaphor because Emily Dickinson is saying that if you agree with society, you are 'sane'.ToneTo Emily Dickinson, society believed that when you think differently from the majority you are considered to be insane. Emily did not agree with this.By Emily DickinsonThere are many tones that are present in this poem. This poem reflects Emily Dickinson's anger towards society. It also shows her rebellion. Her use of the poem 'Much Madness is divinest Sense' was to show how she felt towards society and the way they thought of people. Emily Dickinson was not one to come right out and tell people how she felt. She was very quiet spoken and demure. One more tone that can be found in this poem is the fear of literal madness. Emily Dickinson was afraid that she would become literally mad from everything society was telling its people.

Line 3 - " Much Sense - the starkest Madness"This is an alliteration because of the repetition of the S.PersonificationLine 2 - " To a discerning Eye"This is personification because Emily Dickinson is giving an the human qualities to "judge".ImageryLine 8 - "And handled with a Chain".This is imagery because you get the image of society handling the "insane" as if they were chained up and were not to be let free.RepetitionLines 1-3 - "Much Madness is divinest Sense -To a discerning Eye -Much Sense - the starkest Madness".The repetition of 'Madness' helps Emily Dickinson show how she really feels about how society treats people. She does not agree the the people they claim to be 'mad' are really mad.Line 7 - "Demur - you're straightway dangerous - "This is a metaphor because Emily Dickinson is saying that if you disagree with society, you are considered 'mad' or almost as a threat.Slant RhymeLines 1-3 - "Much Madness is divinest Sense -To a discerning Eye -Much Sense - the starkest Madness - "Emily Dickinson uses the slant rhyme to put more emphasis on madness. It helps her tone because she can stress her topic of 'madness'. End RhymeLines 6-8 - "Assent - and you are sane -Demur - you’re straightway dangerous -And handled with a Chain - "Once again Emily Dickinson uses a rhyme to help emphasize her topic.This time she puts the emphasis on 'sane'. Society puts so much pressure on people to be 'sane'. Emily Dickinson put emphasis on 'chains' to show how ociety feels the need to confine these mad people; cut them off from the mainstream so they can't corrupt it.Paradox Emily Dickinson's poem "Much Madness is divinest Sense" is all one big paradox.The title is even its own paradox. She is explaining how she feels that those who are considered mad by society are actually the only sane people. The truth in this paradox is that if people only agree with other people, they are forfeiting their own individual thoughts, making them mad, in a sense.